Questions Of Self.

Stolen from an old Advent post of Steve’s…these are some good questions to ask..

Am I content with who I am becoming?

I still haven’t figured that out. If I knew what the end result would be, I’d be too concerned with how I figured it out. I’m content with the process I’m in, and with what I am experiencing here.

Am I becoming less religious and more spiritual? (remember the value of context here, please)

I think I prefer this question in the mode of ‘Are my religious practices meaningful?’. And yes, they are. My religious practices are far more related to nature and creative experiences. Late night candles being lit for far off friends. Prayers that are painted and written to answer specific needs. Yes.

Do my family and friends recognize the authenticity of my spirituality?

Most of the time. You should ask them.

Am I generous?

Yes. Mostly. What am I generous with is the question that needs to be asked. With time, but not patience. With experimentation, but not with unnecessary frivolity. With romance and laughter, but not with small talk.

Do I have a quiet centre to my life?

No. I’m looking for one. That will be my whole life journey, but I suspect if I found it, I’d spend the rest of my life feeling off balance.

Have I defined my unique ministry?

No. I’m looking for one. That will be my whole life journey, but I suspect if I found it, I’d spend the rest of my life feeling off balance. I’m content to let the voice of God in the wind direct my ministry path.

Is my prayer life improving?

It’s changing it’s flavour and stance.

Have I maintained a genuine awe of God?

It changes daily.

Is my lifestyle distinctive?

Yes, in good and bad ways. It’s indistinct where it ought to be too.

Is my “spiritual feeding” the right diet for me?

This needs work. I don’t want to be an overactive theologian.

Is obedience in small matters built into my reflexes?

I’ll examine and get back to you.

Is there enough celebration in my life?

I’m adding it constantly, but I think that I’ve recognised the need for it, in my community as well as in my own life.

Answer them for yourself.. maybe post the most interesting answer as a comment..

Being Real.. The Humble Cry Out For An Authentic Life

I’ve never blogged by request.. that is, simply blogged on what someone else has suggested before, but here we go.

The actual thought was on being real in the midst of a crowd, without being swayed in a direction that’s untrue to who you are.

My initial reaction is that the courage to do this is the same as the courage that enables you to go to a movie alone, stand comfortably in a foyer waiting for whomever you’re meeting, to drink coffee content in your own company.

It’s knowing yourself enough to know that you can survive the initial surprise of sharing your thoughts with yourself, and thinking enough of your own opinion to be willing to stand with it, or for it.

Maybe our propensity to be persuaded by the crowd, is more of an unwillingness to think for ourselves.. or to reveal what we really think. I have discovered how easy it can be to go with the flow, critiquing it all the way.

But really.. maybe it just comes down to leaping off the place we are at least certain of, even if unimpressed with it.. and hoping that you really can fly all the way.

I’m listening to the ‘Only Little Boy In New York’ as I type. Being alone in New York, isn’t the same as being lonely. And being alone in your opinion, or your stand isn’t lonely either. Being alone at the altar, being alone in doing the right thing… being the only one in the crowd who honours appropriately.. that’s not lonely.. it’s brave and beautiful.

I’m looking for…

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